Via Змеючка

Tell me then, languishing lover: the women you have had -- do you imagine you violated them? Don't you know that however willing, however eager we are to give ourselves, we must nevertheless have an excuse? And is there any more convenient than an appearance of yielding to force? As for me, I shall admit that one of the things that most flatters me is a lively and well-executed attack, when everything happens in quick but orderly succession; which never puts us in the painfully embarrassing position of having to cover up some blunder of which, on the contrary, we ought to be taking advantage; which keeps up an appearance of taking by storm even what we are quite prepared to surrender, and adroitly flatters our two favorite passions: the pride of defence and the pleasure of surrender."